Location: 40 miles southeast of Reserve, New Mexico, near Snow Lake

Start Date: June 7, 2017

Size: 11 acres

Contained: 0%

Cause: Lightning

Vegetation: Standing snags, downed logs, and grass

Resources: Incident Commander Type 4, 6 Firefighters

The Teacher Fire is a lightning-caused fire that is being managed utilizing a confinement strategy. It is within the Bear Fire area that burned in 2006.

The Teacher Fire is being allowed to meet multiple objectives which are focused on providing for firefighter and public safety, protecting values at risk, and improving the health of fire dependent vegetation in the area. Local firefighters are utilizing Forest Roads to confine the Teacher Fire.

Smoke will be visible around the Snow Lake and Willow Creek Areas. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health website at https://nmtracking.org/fire .

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila